Miles, Milkshakes and Memories

Things that happened to me today: crossed a state line with my team to preview our championship race course; talked about mile splits, surges, and attacking the hills; realized that our team actually has a shot at this championship; decided to take a detour to stop for milkshakes; sang along loudly on the ride home to Miley, Carly Rae and Shaggy; talked about Colby the whole ride back; witnessed my top 6 girls realize that their friendship will make them a better, stronger and faster team.

Now...

Things that today reminded me of: long runs with best friends, Dairy Cone milkshake runs in the freezing March cold, steamy hot milkshake showers, long bus rides to meets, elation at winning states and celebrating races, working with teammates to charge up the hills, silly rituals hugging trees, spending every day together, running for the team, friends forever. 

...and then.

Mules for life, 

Rachel "<3 Deb" Runner

Ordinary people running elite marathon pace

Do you know the feeling you get when you’re out biking and fly down a huge hill at nearly out-of-control, careening, reckless speed? Maybe I was a little too much of a daredevil as a child but I have so many memories of doing this, both in my neighborhood growing up and on our annual vacations to Acadia National Park where we would bike carriage trails. Something about the feeling of speed has always fascinated me. Aren’t you a little surprised that I haven’t ended up in a more dangerous career? I suppose that I’m satisfying this need for speed through my running. Those few moments where you feel like you’re practically gliding and could accelerate more and more: those are what I train for. Sure, I have some goal times that I want to hit in my lifetime, but it’s really all about the feeling.  Recently I have started to get that feeling back. An hour run is now the norm, and my speedwork has progressed past the point of slogging through intervals to something more decent. This past weekend I even stepped foot on a track for the first time in months. I had impeccable timing too, sneaking onto a Catholic boys school track during Open House weekend. Hey, maybe a post-grad female running repeat 800s around their track could boost their applicant pool…some good old bait ‘n switch action.

Back to out-of-control speeds, I found these great videos on a letsrun forum post…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=v0jYFDv8kSc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDs4j8ZHzVg&noredirect=1

They are Asics ads of people trying to run at elite marathon pace.  The second one is clearly not a fair race because Ryan Hall has a running start, and we all know that even if matched perfectly for speed with someone, they’d smoke us in a sprint if they get a running start.  Right now I’m thinking about those indoor track workouts that I did in college where we’d have a 10m run-in, I'm pretty sure I'd never have come close to hitting my splits without the run-in. Oh wait, we never hit our splits anyways.

Until next time,

Robyn “can’t pass as a catholic boy” Runner

A PR is a PR

Alright, here I am finally getting around to my race write up. I know you're all dying to know how I did. The answer: pretty well actually. It was a beautiful day and I felt awesome. I warmed up before the race started, luckily, because I figured out where the starting line was. Lucas and I got into a good position and pretty soon we were off. My plan was to start out a little conservatively and negative split the rest. I almost accomplished that. The first mile was 7:23, which was faster than I would have liked but comfortable. A woman running next to me commented that we were running a good pace. It was a nice gesture but we had 12 miles left to run so I didn't think much of it. I ended up going back and forth with that woman for almost the whole race, and eventually I beat her.

Unfortunately I started to get a stomach cramp around mile 3, so I slowed down a little bit. I took my GU at mile 4 instead waiting until miles 5 or 6, hoping that the energy and electrolytes would help me get back in the game. It took about a mile and a half, but my splits started coming down again. I hit mile 8 right at 1 hour, and realized that I could PR if I kept up a good pace. Right after that a small and hairy Indian man passed me, so I put a target on his back and started trying to gun him down. He looked pretty old to be going as fast as he was, but that confusion made me want to beat him even more. Up until this point in the race we had been running in cute neighborhoods around a pretty lake with lots of foliage. We crossed back over the highway and into an industrial park. The sun was beating down and without the shade it was pretty warm. Another older man pulled up next to me and we ran in sync for a while. I liked having his steps next to me but I started pulling away and definitely wasn't going to stay back to I could run step for step with this stranger. With about 2 miles to go, I started digging in and trying to push it. I did the math in my head and knew that I could PR, but it would be close. at 11.5 miles, the race turned onto a bike path by the water. We faced a really strong head wind, which threw me for a loop. I was trying to go as fast as I could at that point, even though my mile splits weren't any faster. This was actually a good sign; I didn't die and I was able to kick after 12 miles. I hit the 13 mile mark with about 2 minutes left to PR and I went for it. My mom was near the finish line and got some pictures of me. One of them is probably the worst running picture I've ever seen of myself so I'm not going to post it here but it's clear I was working hard. I crossed the finish line in 1:39:14, a 19 second PR. I was 4th in my age group, too.

Even though my goal was 1:35, I don't have much to complain about. My training paid off, I felt strong, and ran a PR. Lucas also ran a PR too so it was a great day all around! I had a lot of fun at the race, in part because of my colorful outfit. My new Oiselle Distance shorts served me well, especially with the multiple pockets where I stored my GUs. I did chafe a little bit on my legs and my arms as well, but I think it was from the heat more than from any of the clothes I was wearing. And I definitely rocked my neon compression socks. I was hoping that the compression would help my legs recover, but I ran so hard I don't know that my compression socks could do so much more to help my recovery.

When I was on the starting line I spotted my friend Kat from Colby. She was our track and cross country captain our sophomore year and now, a few years out of college, she's tearing it up on the road.  She won her age group in 1:26, even though she said it wasn't her best race. I got a picture with her afterwards. She's such a strong no-nonsense runner and I totally look up to her; I loved running into her at the race.

Now that my training has come to an end, and week later my calves have finally stopped hurting, I'm turning my sights to a Thanksgiving turkey trot. Nothing too ambitious, but it's always helpful to have a goal when running so you don't get complacent. But for the moment, I'm taking a rest week or two, resting up and focusing on work. Eventually I'll pick my spring half marathon and start all over again. You can't stay away from running for too long.

Ready, Set....

On Sunday, I'll finally be racing my next half marathon. It's the Newburyport Green Stride Half Marathon, and I'm hoping to do really well. I think I have a good plan, and hopefully it will result in a big PR.

The race starts at 11 AM, so Lucas and I will aim to leave Boston around 8. We'll get there at 9, check in, get our shirts and warm up. My goal is to run 1:35:xx, but I think if I feel good, I could go even faster than that. I've looked at the results from the past two years, and if I stick to my plan, I think I could bust out a top age group finish. I hope to start out at a more conservative pace and pick it up as the miles go on. Since my training went pretty well for the past 9 weeks, I'm hoping for that feeling of the perfect hip extension, passing people, kicking at the end and generally flying. I'll get back to you about what actually happens...

I've already packed up my race day necessities. I usually like to race in spandex, but because I'll be bringing some GU along with me during the race, I needed to change up my bottoms. This time I'll be wearing my new Oiselle Distance short. They have 3 pockets and are really comfortable. I'll definitely be buying more Oiselle apparel soon. In keeping with their bright color, I'm going all out: neon yellow compression socks, my similarly-neon-but-actually-clashing Colby singlet and teal racing flats. I haven't decided which watch I'll use yet. My Garmin is nice because it gives mile splits, but often in races the miles are marked slightly differently than the satellite reads, so it may not be worth it. I can split my other watch myself based on the mile markers on the course. Either way, you'll have no problem seeing me on the course.

Since tonight is the night before the night before my race, I'm headed off to bed to make sure I get those 8+ hours of sleep! I'll be back here soon to let you know how I did, if I lived up to my goals or if I totally bonked.

How do you think I'll do? Leave a comment with a prediction of my time!

Furlough day one: trail run

Yesterday I had a much needed break from the city. I drove about 45 minutes north to do my long run on rail trails that stretch some 120 miles up into Pennsylvania. It was a great break for many reasons. For one, my shins were dying to get off of the concrete. It was the first holiday I'd had off for months (thanks shutdown). And of course, it was nice to breathe in some clean air and see some trees. I wasn’t the only one who was excited about nature yesterday. I saw a couple taking pictures of something off the side of the trail. With blatant disregard for social etiquette I  obnoxiously stared at them trying to figure out what they were taking pictures of. It seemed like just a regular tree. Was there something cool in the branches? I thought to myself…is it an eagle, an owl, a dragon? What are they so excited about? And then I realized…it was “foliage”. If I could insert a gif of Deb quotes here, I would. It was basically a tree whose leaves were turning brown and were ever so slightly red-tinged.  I forgot how awesome New England fall is comparatively.

I continued on a half mile past my planned turn-around point. Since it was an out-and-back I managed to convince myself to drop 5 sec per mile for the second 5.5mi of my run. It felt good to keep picking up the pace, and my form felt surprisingly conserved so I was able to work all the way down to 7:45 for my last mile. When I do long runs these days, which is certainly not as often as I should be…I make a point to make them quality miles.  This is probably the biggest change I’ve made (and stuck with) in my post-collegiate career. It’s probably a chicken-egg argument, but it seems that I have my best racing seasons when I’m able to do my long runs averaging 8min miles or faster.

In other news – my parents are still tearing up the racing scene in New England. I can’t even begin to understand how my mom runs so fast these days. She was 2^nd overall female in a 5K, winning $125, and running a 20:20. That’s 6:32 per mile and she’s a 54 year old lady who doesn’t even do speedwork anymore. No that green tinge on my face isn’t jealousy. OK fine it’s jealousy. Seriously, she would be top 10 on the Colby women’s team. Now I really need to make sure I keep up my training or else she will beat me at the Turkey Trot 5k this year!

The joys of coaching

Yesterday, my girls team had their first home meet of the season. It was a dual meet against a strong team with one really fast girl. Last year we lost by just a few points because our #2 girl had sprained her ankle. This year, I went back and forth between thinking we could pull off a win, and that we would get crushed. The biggest factor is that my top runner is battling shin splits (we can have a whole other post about that later if need be...) and the question was: is it worth it for her to race this weekend? She and I ended up deciding that it would be better to be healthy the rest of the season than to race today but risk being out for months, in a walking boot. And honestly? We ended up losing by 2 points, so if she had run, we would have won. But we still had a great day.

The course at my school is one of the hardest in New England. It's certainly harder than any college cross country course I encountered in 4 years. I ran this course in high school, and when I arrived on campus as a coach last August, my legs remembered the 1/2 mile uphill. It's grassy, it's hilly and it can be lonely. We ran the course during the week as a tempo run and I finished the 5k in a less than impressive time of 24:20. My first mile was 7:07, but the hills killed me. And the same happened with my girls today. Luckily they showed so much grit and determination. In true xc fashion, one girl lost her shoe on the course. Two girls wore spikes for the first time today--I think they're converts now. On a course as hard as ours, it was remarkable that many of my girls came close to their PRs or season bests. Over the course of the season, our team has been missing one girl or another and we haven't been at full strength. While we weren't today either, if we factored in our top girl, we saw how great we could be if we were completely healthy.

My girls had fire in their bellies today. That's not something that I can help them with; they have to find it themselves. One way or another, they found it and it burned bright today. As their coach, I train them physically and encourage them mentally and emotionally, but there are some aspects that they have to figure out for themselves. As devastating as a 2 point loss is, the way the girls rallied and fought, I know that they are ready to bring it and make up for that at our next race. I hope we win!

Meditating before the race.

Butt Cheeks and Baltimore

There was a time, not long ago, when I would take every opportunity to roll those short-shorts just one more time. Sometimes I wonder why, or how, I ever managed to fold over the top of those teeny-tiny blue uniform shorts from freshman year in college. I think that there was something about the freedom of skin-tight spandex that just felt right when you’re gutting it out in a race. I was thinking about this just the other day because I was realizing how differently I think about running outfits these days.  It’s not that I wouldn’t love to hang out some butt cheek or flash a little midriff during a race or workout, but  something is different now. I’m pretty sure the difference is only partly due to living in the city. It certainly has nothing to do with my love for nudity fading – that still holds strong.

There are a lot of things about city running that are quite different from what I’m used to. For one, there are people everywhere, all the time. Before living in Baltimore, dodging branches or mud puddles was the norm and now I have to squeeze between tourists and phone poles on crowded sidewalks. It sure changes your running style. Another thing is the sound, it’s impossible to find silence on a run when you live in the city. The sense of solitude on a long run is somehow lost when you can’t hear your own steady breaths.  But these things I’ve come to terms with, and when it comes down to it, running is running. It’s what I do and a few tourists won’t stop me.

The change that I didn’t anticipate was the lack of butt cheek. Yes, that’s right, I said butt cheek. Maybe it’s no longer having a constant rotating gaggle of girls to run with, or maybe it’s the infrequency of my visits to a track, but the days of carefree clothing is gone. Don’t get me wrong – I rock the suns out guns out look from time to time, but usually only if I’m staying close to home and it’s nowhere near dusk, and it’s not a Friday or Saturday night, or a Thursday night, or a Ravens game… You get the picture. I don’t feel free to dress for the weather anymore; I have to take other things into account these days. At risk of sounding like a negative Nancy, I’m sure that this change has happened because of the increased awareness needed for safe city running. Especially in a place like Baltimore, where a good block can directly border a bad block, there’s always a little bit of anxiety following me around on my runs. Sometimes the feeling comes when a biker comes up a little too close to my shoulder, other times it’s when a car drives slowly through a crosswalk I’m waiting at, but the instant high alert my body kicks into is never ideal for training. My heart rate was already elevated enough, thank you very much. This mild underlying hypersensitivity to my surroundings stole that part of me that proudly frolicked around in spankies at Franklin Park and stashed it somewhere in ME or NH. It’s not gone for good, get me with a group of my CCXC girls and  I can guarantee some excess skin will be on display, but for now, I’m just trying to get back some of that feeling of freedom. I’m a few weeks into my speedwork plan (crafted by coach Dad) for a turkey trot 5K and I really need to remind myself of how good it feels to pull on a pair of tiny black spandex shorts and bust out some repeat 400’s. So here’s to bringing back the butt cheeks…watch out Baltimore.

Fueling for the Long Run

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague’s professional triathlete wife, Amanda, came to talk to my cross country team as motivation. Honestly, I think I was more into than the girls were because her words really resonated with me. One of Amanda’s main points was to make sure that you are constantly fueling—especially during a long run or race. Now as an experienced runner I know that it’s important to get enough energy and calories when you’re working hard. But for some reason, this one piece of advice has never stuck with me. When Amanda championed taking GU during her long runs (and she runs long), I finally got it. I went out and bought some Chocolate Outrage GU and was anxious to test it out for my next long run.

I’m gearing up for my 3^rd half marathon this month and going after an abitious 4-minute PR. Last Sunday I headed into Boston to my boyfriend’s place to complete a 12 mile long run on Comm. Ave, which is part of the Boston Marathon course. I stored a GU in my shorts pocket, pulled on my neon yellow compression socks and headed out. It was a sunny day and not too warm; conditions were near perfect. I ran past Boston College and down Heartbreak Hill, knowing that 8 miles later, I’d have to run back up this infamous hill. I hoped the GU would give me the strength to let the miles pass easily and quickly.

3 or so miles in, I ran into a charity walk going on that conveniently had water stations set up. The women running it were nice enough to let me stop and have a drink, and I realized that drinking water might also be a key to a successful run that day. (Amanda did say that you should always take water from the water stops even if you’re not thirsty. I learned a lot from her!) I hit the second water stop and soon got to my turn-around point, 6 miles out. Even at this point, my body had warmed up and my pace had dropped from 9:30s to 8:30s. I was feeling good. I took out my GU and ate it, found a trashcan to dump the packaging and headed back up.

I didn’t realize it right away, but man, the GU works! Slightly caffeinated and with carbohydrates that send sugars to your muscles within minutes, GU provided me with a quick pick-me-up just when my energy stores were starting to get depleted. For the 6 miles back, I felt like I was cruising. My mile splits stayed around 8:30, but I was running uphill this time. At 10 miles, I was stopped at a crosswalk when a serious looking runner came up next to me. I looked at her and told myself that I should try to stay with her, but as we started running I realized that she was going too slowly for me. I passed her and charged up the next hill. With one mile to go, I was feeling great (and running a little late to meet my boyfriend and his family for lunch) so I decided to just go for it. My last mile split was 7:50! I felt absolutely awesome and if I’d had more time, I would have done another mile or two at that pace as well.

I don’t know if this was just a great day for me or if it was really the GU that helped me super negative split my 12 mile long run, but I’m now a believer. I now know that GU works for me, whether it gives me a mental edge or actually helps with fueling. I plan on stashing at least one, maybe two, GU in my shorts or sports bra for my upcoming half marathon. I hope I feel as good as I did during this long run. If I have another good day, I know I’ll get that PR!